Dozens of Wild Boars Died Mysteriously in West Sumatra

TheIndonesia.co - The police are investigating the mysterious death of dozens of wild boars in Agam regency, West Sumatra province, as authorities speculated the African swine fever to be the main cause.

After the sudden deaths, police asked the public to report any findings of wild boars. The public is also warned against approaching or touching the carcasses.

“If anyone finds the body of wild boar that isn’t from a hunt, don’t touch it and move away quickly. It’s feared that [public] will contract the African swine fever,” Head of Agam Police Pol. Grand Commissioner Adjutant Dwi Nur Setiawan said on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, as reported by Covesia.com.

Setiawan also asked the public to report any findings of wild boar carcasses to the police or Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA) Agam. It’s because the bodies will need special treatment, and samples of body organs will be taken to the veterinary laboratory.

Previously, residents in Maua, Hilia Jorong Kayu Pasak Timur, Nagari Selareh Aia, Palembayan subdistrict have been finding the bodies of wild boars that suddenly died within the past month. Public and authorities suspected those deaths were caused by ASF.

Head of KSDA Agam Ade Putra added that the agency continues to work with related institutions to get confirmation on the cause of death.

In 2020, dozens of pigs also died suddenly in Pasaman Barat regency, West Sumatra.

And in 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed Indonesia was at alert level 1 in the handling of swine fever.